Saddle mounting



July 12, 1949. w,-sc w I 2,476,226

S ADDLE MOUNTING Filed Dec. 31, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR FRANK W. SCHW|NN 5/ ATTORNEY July 12, 1949. F. w. SCHWINN SADDLE MOUNTING 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 iled Dec. 31, 1946 INVENTOR FRANK W. SCHWINN Patented July 12, 1949 SADDLE- MOUNTING Frankswagner Schwinn, (ihicagp llla Application December 31, 1946;" Serial N 71-9512 2&llaimse (Cl. 155,.-5.20)

This in-vention relateslto. saddle: mountings for bicycles and the like; andamore part-i'cularly. to.

mountings for .saddles having. 'theirvresilient suspension at the lfrontiend ofthe seat-- One of the lobjectsnof theeinvention isto provide an adjustable mounting structure for the saddles of bicyclesv andthe likewherein resilience isseffected by the-:inclusiomof -liV6 *resilient ma terial, such as rubber, adapted to absorb stresses in shear.

As 1 another object 1 my: invention-'- comprehends the provision of saddle -mounting of the class referred to which the position-of-the saddle may. readily be varied singularly or longitudinally relative to a fixed seatsupporting-post.

Other objects and-advantages of the invention will be apparentfromthe following-description and the accompanying drawings in which similar characters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the --several-views.

In the two sheets i of drawings Figs. 1, 2 and-=3-are;-respectively;=top plan, side elevational, and front elevational'views ofa-saddle for bicycles and the likewhiclr incorporates a mounting embodying=- apreferred" form ofmy present I invention;

Fig; 4. is a side elevational-wiewof the-saddle and mounting depicted-=in -Figs; 1, 2' and3, inwhich view various adjusted= positions of" thesaddle are indicated' by; the solid and the dotand dash lines; and

Fig, 5 is an exploded view-of a part of the saddle mounting wherein the --adjoining parts of i the .saddle mounting and-seat "post are depicted indotand dash lines:

Having reference to the drawings --wherein-an exemplary embodiment ofmy invention is depicted for illustrative purposes the saddle includes aseat Ill which is-preferabl-y made of leather and maysbe-ofpadde'd construction 'W811" At. its h front end the seat rical relationshi to a longitudinal:centers-lin of the seat. In my, preferred seat mounting structure, the seat'frame I3includes side plates l6 and 1110f similar construction and shapewhich areeoppositely formedl ands'disposed in spaced: and opposed relationshippn. opposite sides of the longitudinal; centerline of the-seat. Flanges l8 and IS on the. rear portionssof the side plates l6 and i1, respectively, support the seat and are secured thereto at the rear=ends by the screws- At their forward ends the side plates 16 and I1 terminate in substantially plane end portions 20 and 22, respectively, which are disposed in 2a face-to-facelandr spaced;relationship -withitheirx plane g surfacesi--- substantrallltupfllialllel qtmz;0116 581hr other. The v endportions-E andnnrunderlieether projecting-end aportiom I2tofiztherseatewithrthein plane surfaces substantially perpendiculamtotther: general iplane 20f. ltlresseats A cantilevemtype.lofgasupponteframellti isrcom': posed-oftwo similarlyconstructedzanm'opmsitelyl formed sidespartsizdzsanda. unsecured together at: their opposite. ends amt having; theirumid-tepore tions separated laterally fiz'thesseajzttol providerl substantially. straightzandaparallel gsid-es strips-"26': and- -2 1 At their forwardeendssthiesside:parts \244 and .:25 are; enlargedito;:conidrmasubstantially to; the forward end i contours 'fzofli'the rside'aplates; I 6 and.- l 1* and to. provi-de'planamendzsurf aces fondispositionbetween"thetplaneaendsmentions; Mi anda 22 of the side plates.

To provide for: resilienceninumyuseatrsupporta relatively heavy-sheets 2 8:-and%2Si ofnlireresilient l' material have: their oppositeasu-rfa'cesv-bonded to the plane end."portions-arofntheasideiplates auditor the planar end portions oflftlle support zsfi'iama on both sides-"ofxthe-i supportcframeeseilthat when the seat is suppontedl from thsasnpporti' frame, the resilient material iis-stressed substantiallyvin: shear; The live:resilientfmaterialrimay berubber and the: bonding! toltheiseat andlisupport:rframe: surfaces may .readily be accomplished by vul+ canizing;

In order torsupport the front lend ofsthe seat: without 1 interfering 1with-ltheeresllienti supporting :v action: of thee-resilient material, :an: inverted U shaped 'bracketlBO -is securedrto the lower-surface: of the projecting end portion ll! of the seat by'e fastening means; such aslascrew. Wend a -coacting nut 3 3. The: sid legs militia-bracket :extend downwardly on oppositersid'es:of the -plane:endportions 20 and- 22' of the, side'epla'tes and are 1 secured thereto: m ca-through bolt=i34 =havinga nut 35, whichlthrougmbolt is xclesiralsily disposed centrally of the portionseofitliesseat' frame -=andsupport frame -whichrare bonded te the resilient material' A seat clamp 36 isr:utilized z 'forrsecuring the saddle-to aseat-post flzl and 'itc held the saddle in an :adj usted' p0sition relattvettesthe -seat-rpostsa This seat clamp: is showm assembled' and 'att'ached" to: the saddle-in:Figs:ltoiilnclusiveeand-with its1 parts separated invtheiexploded view' of Figa 5.-'

Referringparticularly:to Fig 5; the-=seat clamp includes a substantially=C-shaped'-?central clamp ing member 38 having garrarcuate seat post clamping port-ion'ail witli-'-wingiportions 40 and on opposite sides'thereofl 'Ilie-wing=;portions and 42 havealigned centralgibores B andi re'-: spectively; tl-i'erein'; and' have their outer surfaces radially serrated around the central bores, as indicated at 45. On opposite sides of the wing portions 40 and 42 are formed channel plates 46 and 4! with bores 48 and 49 adapted to align with the bores 43 and 44 in the wings, as well as radially serrated portions 50 adapted to engage the serrated portions 45 on the wings to hold the formed channel plates in adjusted angular positions relative to the central clamp member 38. Each of the channel plates 46 and 41 has an outwardly disposed longitudinal channel 52 and 53, respectively, adapted to receive one of the side strips 26 and 21 of the support frame. Gripping plates 54 and 55 have openings 56 and 51, respectively therein, which openings are desirably rectangular to receive the rectangular portion of a carriage bolt 58. The gripping plates 54 and 55 include projecting tongues 59 and 60, respectively, which overlie the channels 52 and 53 and the side strips 26 and 21 of the support frame to grip those side strips when the clamp is tightened by a nut 62 threaded onto the end of the carriage bolt.

When the nut 62 is loosened, the seat may be adjusted to a desired angular position of tilt relative to the seat post by rotation about the axis of the bolt whenthe serrated portions of the clamp member and channel plates are disengaged. Also, the side strips 26 and 21 of the support frame being substantially parallel and slidable in the channels 52 and 53, the seat may be adjusted longitudinally relative to the seat post to suit the desires and comfort of the user.

From the foregoing description of my saddle mounting and the relationship of parts thereof, it may be readily understood that it not only embodies the advantages of the cantilever support frame and the resilience of suspension through a live resilient material, but may also be adjusted to a desired angular and longitudinal position.

For illustrative purposes, I have depicted a range of angular and longitudinal adjustment in Fig. 4. The solid lines represent a relatively level position of the seat, while rearwardly and forwardly tilted positions are indicated by the dot and dash lines at Illa and Illb, respectively. Also, the solid lines show medium longitudinal adjustment of the seat position. The dot and dash lines at Illa, 13a and 23a indicate the saddle moved rearwardly relative to the seat post; while the dot and dash lines at b, I3'b and 23b depict the saddle moved forwardly relative to the seat post.

While I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of all changes within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In a saddle mounting for bicycles and the like for adjustably supporting a saddle relative to a seat post, the combination comprising a padded seat having a relatively narrow forwardly projecting portion at the front, a seat frame including a pair of similar and laterally opposed side plates secured to the seat and diverging rearwardly, said side plates terminating at their front ends in substantially fiat portions with faces disposed in substantially parallel and spaced re- 0 lationship and substantially perpendicular to 7 the general plane of the seat, a support frame in- 4 eluding a pair of similar and laterally opposed side parts having substantially parallel and laterally separated side strips at their rear ends and enlarged plane end portions at their frontends, said enlarged plane end portions being disposed in adjacent face-to-fac'e relationship and between the fiat front end portions of the seat frame, a layer of live resilient material between each outer face of the enlarged end portions of the support frame and the adjacent face of the flat end portion of the seat frame, said layers of resilient material being bonded to both the seat frame and the supporting frame, a bracket secured to the forwardly projecting portion of the seat, said bracket having less straddling and secured to the seat frame and support frame by a through bolt extending through the adjacent end portions thereof, and an angularly adjustable seat clamp having means engaging and gripping said laterally opposed side strips of the support frame, said side strips being movable longitudinally relative to the seat clamp, and means for tightening the seat clamp against said side strips to hold the seat in an adjusted angular and longitudinal position relative to the clamp.

2. In a saddle mounting for bicycles and the like for adjustably supporting a saddle relative to a seat post, the combination comprising a padded seat, a seat frame including a pair of similar and laterally opposed side plates secured to the seat and diverging rearwardly, said side plates terminating at their front ends in substantially flat portions with faces disposed in substantially parallel and spaced relationship and substantially perpendicular to the general plane of the seat, a support frame including a pair of similar and laterally opposed side parts having substantially parallel and laterally separated side strips at their rear ends and enlarged plane end portions at their front ends, said enlarged plane end portions being disposed in adjacent face-toface relationship and between the fiat front end portions of the seat frame, a layer of live resilient material between each outer face of the enlarged end portions of the support frame and the adjacent face of the fiat end portion of the seat frame, said layers of resilient material being bonded to both the seat frame and the support frame resiliently to support the seat frame and seat relative to the support frame, and an angularly adjustable seat clamp having means engaging and gripping said laterally opposed side strips of the support frame, said side strips being movable longitudinally in relation to the seat clamp, and means for tightening the seat clamp to hold the seat in an adjusted angular and longitudinal position relative to the clamp.

FRANK WAGlTER SCHWINN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 590,455 Goodenough Sept. 21, 1897 1,118,600 Troxel Nov. 24, 1914 2,303,567 McWhorter Dec. 1, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country 1 Date 42,301 Netherlands Jan. 15, 1938 

